Conventionally, a game system is known in which a plurality of players form a group and the players in the group play a game together over a network. According to this game system, a game progresses on a game device of each player participating in the group, based not only on operation information of the user of the game device, but also on operation information of other players in the group.
A group is formed by performing matchmaking among players all over the world who are connected to a network, or by performing matchmaking among players in a country who are connected to a network.
If, as in the conventional technology described above, the range in which matchmaking is performed (hereinafter, referred to as a “matching range”) is too wide, one will be matched only with a player who is a total stranger. Thus, even if a user wanted to play a game with a player satisfying a specific condition (for example, a person from the same school, a person having the same taste, a person living in the same district, and so on), matchmaking with a player satisfying such specific condition could not be realized.
In contrast to such a conventional game system, it is conceivable to provide a variety of matching ranges (for example, ranges for each school, each taste, each district, and so on) and to perform matchmaking, within each matching range, among players who want to be matched. This enables to realize matchmaking among players satisfying any of the various conditions.
However, if the number of matching ranges is too large, a player will have difficulty in finding a matching range that is to his/her liking. In addition, even if a user wants to play a game with a specific player, the user may not know the matching range the specific player is using.
Thus, a technology that aids selection of a matching range by a user from a large number of matching ranges is desired.
A matching system of an example embodiment is a matching system which includes a server and a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected to the server over a network and which performs matchmaking, in any of a plurality of matching ranges, for a participating user attempting to perform predetermined information processing while the information processing apparatuses are communicating information, the matching system being configured to include a related user presenting section for presenting to the participating user a related user related to the participating user, a matching range identification section for identifying a matching range that is associated with the related user presented by the related user presenting section, and a matching processor for performing matchmaking for the participating user in the matching range identified by the matching range identification section.
According to this configuration, matchmaking can be performed in a matching range that is associated with a related user related to a participating user, and the participating user can be aided in the selection of a matching range from a large number of matching ranges. “Identify a matching range” herein refers to determination of, among a plurality of matching ranges, one matching range in which matchmaking is performed by the matching processor.
In the matching system described above, the related user may include at least any of a user identified and registered by the participating user, a user with established near field communication with the participating user, a user who was matched with the participating user in the past, a user selected based on an attribute of the participating user, and a user matched in a matching range made by the participating user.
According to this configuration, a user suitable for the related user of a participating user can be presented, and matchmaking can be performed in the matching range that is associated with such related user.
The matching system described above may further include a matching range presenting section for presenting the matching range that is associated with the related user presented by the related user presenting section, and a matching range specification receiver for receiving specification of the matching range, and the matching range identification section may identify the matching range whose specification has been received by the matching range specification receiver as a matching range in which matchmaking is to be performed by the matching processor.
According to this configuration, with a participating user specifying a matching range when a matching range that is associated with a related user is presented to the participating user, matchmaking can be performed by identifying the specified matching range as a matching range in which matchmaking is to be performed. Additionally, one or more matching ranges may be associated with a related user, and the matching range presenting section may present the one or more matching ranges associated with the related user.
In the matching system described above, the matching range presenting section may present, as the matching range that is associated with the related user, at least any of a matching range in which the related user has most recently been matched, a matching range determined based on a history of matchmaking of the related user, a matching range in which the related user is currently being matched, and a matching range made by the related user.
According to this configuration, a matching range suitable for the matching range that is associated with a related user can be presented to a participating user. Additionally, a matching range determined based on the history of matchmaking of the related user may be a matching range in which the related user is most frequently matched in the history of matchmaking of the related user, for example.
The matching system described above may further include a related user specification receiver for receiving specification of the related user, and the matching range identification section may identify the matching range that is associated with the related user whose specification has been received by the related user specification receiver as a matching range in which matchmaking is to be performed by the matching processor.
According to this configuration, with a participating user specifying a related user when the related user is presented to the participating user, matchmaking can be performed by identifying a matching range that is associated with the related user as a matching range in which matchmaking is to be performed.
In the matching system described above, the matching range that is associated with the related user may be any of a matching range in which the related user has most recently been matched, a matching range determined based on a history of matchmaking of the related user, a matching range in which the related user is currently being matched, and a matching range made by the related user.
According to this configuration, when a related user is presented to a participating user and the related user is specified by the participating user, matchmaking can be performed by identifying a matching range suitable for the matching range that is associated with the specified related user as a matching range in which matchmaking is to be performed.
In the matching system described above, the related user presenting section may present the related user so as to show that the related user is online.
According to this configuration, a participating user can be informed of a related user who is online and with whom predetermined information processing may be performed together by matchmaking. Additionally, to show that a related user is online, an indicator indicating whether a related user is online or offline may be attached at the time of presenting all the related users, or only the related users who are online may be presented.
In the matching system described above, the matching processor may perform matchmaking between the participating user and the related user.
According to this configuration, even if a plurality of groups are formed in a matching range which has been identified, a participating user can be matched with a related user related to the participating user and perform predetermined information processing together with the related user.
The matching system described above may further include a matching range maker for making the matching range based on an operation at the information processing apparatus.
According to this configuration, predetermined information processing can be performed between users who like each other. However, if a user is allowed to make a matching range by himself/herself, the number of matching ranges may become extremely large due to many users making the matching ranges. In this case, according to the matching system described above, matchmaking can be performed in a matching range that is associated with a related user related to a participating user, and the participating user can be aided in the selection of a matching range from an extremely large number of matching ranges.
In the matching system described above, the matching processor may perform matchmaking in the matching range identified by the matching range identification section, without presenting a user who is matched within the identified matching range.
According to this configuration, a participating user does not know which user is in the matching range in which the participating user is to be matched. This prevents the participating user who is to be matched in a certain matching range from feeling attached to another user in the matching range or from feeling that he/she belongs to the matching range. Because, as described above, a user belonging to a group in a matching range and performing predetermined information processing neither feels attached to another user in the matching range nor feels that he/she belongs to the matching range, a participating user who is to be newly matched in the matching range will feel no psychological barrier to joining the matching range, and a psychological effect can be expected which facilitates selection of the matching range.
In the matching system described above, the server may be a game server, the information processing apparatus may be a game device, and the matching system may be a game system which includes the game server and a plurality of game devices connected to the game server over a network and which performs matchmaking, in any of a plurality of matching ranges, for a participating user attempting to play a game while the game devices are communicating information.
According to this configuration, a matching range suitable as the matching range that is associated with a related player can be presented to a participating player of a game.
In the matching system described above, the matching range may be a matching room explicitly indicating a specific condition regarding participating users who are to join the matching room.
According to this configuration, what kind of condition is set to a matching range in which matchmaking is to be performed can be presented to a participating user.
An information processing apparatus of an example embodiment is an information processing apparatus used in the matching system described above, and this information processing apparatus includes a related user memory storing therein information regarding the related user and the related user presenting section, and the related user presenting section presents a related user based on the information stored in the related user memory.
According to this configuration, a related user related to a user who is the owner of an information processing apparatus is stored therein and presented by the information processing apparatus. Additionally, the information processing apparatus may receive the status of the related user, information regarding a matching range that is associated with the related user and the like from the server and present the same.
A server of an example embodiment is a server used in the matching system described above, and this server includes a matching range acquisition section for acquiring a matching range that is associated with a related user and providing information regarding the acquired matching range to an information processing apparatus, the matching range identification section, and the matching processor, and the matching range identification section receives, from the information processing apparatus, specification of a matching range provided by the matching range acquisition section to the information processing apparatus, and identifies the matching range whose specification has been received as a matching range in which matchmaking is to be performed by the matching processor.
According to this configuration, the server receives specification of a related user, and performs a matching process in a matching range that is associated with the specified related user.
A server of another example embodiment is a server used in the matching system described above, and includes the matching range identification section and the matching processor, and the matching range identification section receives specification of the related user from the information processing apparatus, and identifies a matching range that is associated with the specified related user as a matching range in which matchmaking is to be performed by the matching processor.
According to this configuration, the server receives specification of a matching range, and performs a matching process in the specified matching range.
A matching method of an example embodiment is a matching method for performing matchmaking, in any of a plurality of matching ranges, for a participating user attempting to perform information communication with a plurality of information processing apparatuses, and this matching method includes a related user presenting step of presenting to the participating user a related user related to the participating user, a matching range identification step of identifying a matching range that is associated with the related user presented in the related user presenting step, and a matching processing step of performing matchmaking for the participating user in the matching range identified in the matching range identification step.
According to this method, matchmaking can be performed in a matching range that is associated with a related user related to a participating user, and the participating user can be aided in the selection of a matching range from a large number of matching ranges.
A storage medium of an example embodiment has stored therein a matching program causing a computer of an information processing apparatus for performing matchmaking, in any of a plurality of matching ranges, for a participating user attempting to perform information communication with a plurality of information processing apparatuses to function as: a related user specification receiver for receiving specification, from the participating user, of a related user related to the participating user, a matching range acquisition section for acquiring, and providing to the participating user, a matching range that is associated with the related user whose specification has been received by the related user specification receiver, a matching range identification section for receiving the specification of the matching range provided by the matching range acquisition section, and identifying the matching range whose specification has been received, and a matching processor for performing matchmaking for the participating user in the matching range identified by the matching range identification section.
According to this configuration, matchmaking can be performed in a matching range which has been specified by receiving specification of the matching range, and a participating user can be aided in the selection of a matching range from a large number of matching ranges.
A storage medium of an example embodiment has stored therein a matching program causing a computer of an information processing apparatus for performing matchmaking, in any of a plurality of matching ranges, for a participating user attempting to perform information communication with a plurality of information processing apparatuses to function as: a related user specification receiver for receiving specification, from the participating user, of a related user related to the participating user, a matching range identification section for identifying a matching range that is associated with the related user whose specification has been received by the related user specification receiver, and a matching processor for performing matchmaking for the participating user in the matching range identified by the matching range identification section.
According to this configuration, matchmaking can be performed in a matching range that is associated with a related user, related to a participating user, who has been specified by receiving specification of the related user, and the participating user can be aided in the selection of a matching range from a large number of matching ranges.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting example embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.